Criticising 'brutal' lathi-charge, Congress vows Land bill protests will continue

The Congress on Monday criticised the 'brutal' lathi-charge suffered by its party workers at the Parliament Street while protesting against the Land Acquisition bill, vowing to continue its demonstrations till the recommended amendments are made to the same.

"A brutal lathi-charge occurred today on Youth Congress activists. Our protest was peaceful but the cadres were dealt with violence. Almost 50 people have been hospitalised, while many others have been detained by the police at the Parliament Street Police Station," Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi told the media.

"However, these protests will not die down. They will continue at every Pradesh Congress Committee and District Congress Committee level. We condemn the highhandedness of the government on the protests," he added.

Terming the bill 'draconian', Singhvi further alleged that the bill would make it easy to part the farmer from his land.

"According to the amendments made by the BJP to the Land Acquisition bill, consent and social impact assessment will not apply in cases of industrial corridors and infra projects, including those based on a PPP model. However, most acquisitions fall under these categories," he said.

"Farmers and land owners can be deprived off their land with this draconian law," he added.

Singhvi also claimed that the clauses that protected the rights of the land owner were missing from the BJP's bill.

"Under the previous bill, land could be acquired to a distance of up to one kilometre of an existing industrial corridor. However, if was land taken, then one had to show that it had been utilised. The BJP has removed this clause," he said.

"Under the present law, if land acquired, then there is no particular time frame which has been specified for setting up of a proposed project. However, under the earlier law, land not utilised within five years had to be returned. That clause no longer exists," he added.

Earlier in the day, the Congress protest took a violent turn after the Delhi Police resorted to the use of water cannons and a baton charge on the participants to prevent them from reaching Parliament.

The Lok Sabha had last week passed the Land Acquisition Bill of the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre via a voice vote. Nine amendments to the bill had been adopted.

Several other parties including the Janata Dal (United) and Lalu Prasad Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) have also opposed the ruling BJP's Land Acquisition Bill.